Safe baby sleeping is so important. Every year, thousands of babies worldwide succumb to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidental deaths from suffocation, which usually happens while they are sleeping. While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent SIDS, research shows that a safe sleep environment can help minimise your baby’s risk of sleep-related infant death.
Here are tips for safe baby sleeping.
1. Place Your Baby on Their Back
Parents and caregivers must ensure that babies sleep on their backs, as it helps to reduce the chance of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related infant deaths. Always place the baby on their back when sleeping at night and during daytime naps. The back position is the safest for babies until they reach one year old.
Belly sleeping is the preferred position for some babies. But even though your baby feels comfortable sleeping on his tummy, it is not safe until he can roll himself over into his stomach. If your baby sleeps on his stomach, he will breathe in less air, which can increase his chance of SIDS. Although SIDS is rare, thousands of babies die of SIDS each year.
When the baby turns one year old, the risk of SIDS drops dramatically in kids without any health issues. You can let your little one sleep on his tummy at one year old if that’s what he prefers. But if your baby is comfortable sleeping on his back, continue with that position for as long as he wants.
2. Make Sure Your Baby’s Head is Uncovered
Babies with heads covered in bedding are at an increased risk of SIDS. Anything that could be a hindrance to their nose and mouth could lead to suffocation for your baby. Therefore, your baby’s face should remain uncovered when sleeping to reduce the risk of SIDS.
To ensure your baby stays safe when sleeping, keep his feet at the bottom of the cot so the baby cannot slip under the blankets. You can choose not to put blankets on your baby. Instead, use a safe baby sleeping bag. Preferably something with fitted neck and arm holes and does not come with a hood.
When indoors, your baby’s head should remain uncovered. Remove any head coverings, including beanies, bonnets, hats, hoodies, or hooded clothing. When it’s time to put your baby to sleep, ensure their feet are at the bottom of the cot. Securely tuck the bedclothes so it doesn’t stay loose. Better yet, place the baby in a safe sleeping bag.
3. Place them in the Feet to Foot Position
While you cannot prevent SIDS, parents and caregivers should educate themselves on the potential risks to keep babies safe. You will find plenty of online resources about SIDS, but your best bet is to take online safeguarding courses. Taking online safeguarding courses can help parents and caregivers better understand the risks associated with SIDS and how to protect the baby against this fatal condition.
The cause of SIDS is not known. However, the baby’s sleep positioning could be a big factor. Experts also found some things you can do to help protect your child from SIDS. During the safeguarding training, you’ll learn that the safest way to put your baby to sleep is to place them in the “feet to foot” position, which means their feet are at the end of the crib, cot, or basket.
Experts have also recommended that the safest place for babies to sleep during the first six months is at a cot or crib and in the same position as the parents. This should apply to both nighttime sleep and daytime naps. Investing in a good bedside crib is the best way to do this. It helps you keep your baby close to you day and night thanks to the removable bassinet feature.
4. Regulate your Baby’s Temperature
Another way to prevent SIDS is to regulate your baby’s temperature. He should not be too hot or too cold. The risk of SIDS is higher in babies that get too hot, especially when sleeping. You must maintain a temperature of 16 – 20°C to ensure your baby’s safety. Aside from regulating the room temperature, ensure the bed is comfortable with light bedding or a well-fitting baby sleep bag.
It can be hard to gauge your baby’s temperature manually, so use a thermometer to check your baby regularly and see if he is not too hot. Feel your baby’s chest or the area at the back of your neck. Do not use your baby’s hands and feet to check their temperature. Your baby’s hands and feet will usually be colder. In most cases, this is normal. If your baby’s skin is sweaty or hot, remove a layer of his bedding or bedclothes.
You should aim for a temperature between 16-20°C during the warmer months, as overheating can pose a risk to your baby. If the room where your baby sleeps is hard to cool, let your baby wear light clothing and use lightweight bedding. Also, consider opening the bedroom door and window if it’s safe. Unwell babies need fewer bedclothes. Also, babies should not sleep under a quilt or duvet.
5. Make Sure Your Baby is Sleeping in a Secure Space
Implementing safe sleep practices is essential to protecting your baby against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related accidents. As a parent or caregiver to an infant, you should know the safe place for your baby to sleep safely.
First, you must not sleep on a sofa or a chair with your baby since this can be dangerous. Babies are safe when sleeping in a standard-size bassinet, crib, play yard, or portable crib. Also, experts advise parents to avoid buying second-hand cribs or using cribs passed down from others, as it may no longer be safe for babies to sleep.
A sleep consultant can help guide your child into a consistent routine so they begin to understand your sleep schedule, making it easier for them to drift off and wake up on their own.
Babies should always sleep on a firm mattress designed for the bassinet, crib, or play yard that your baby sleeps on. Nothing else should go on the crib with them, such as stuffed toys and extra blankets.